Contact with the Americas

Who was first?• Asians and the Bering Strait land bridge 10-15,000 (or

more) years ago, duh!

• depends...

• what is America?

The candidates

Leif 900s“Amteric”

China 1421

Africa 1311

Portuguese 1460s Cristobol Colon

Giovanni Caboto 1497

Polynesians 1000

How will we know?

• DNA testing

• ocean currents

• archeology

• sunken ships

Why did they come?The Portuguese

• initial leaders of exploration

• trade outposts in Africa

• route to the “Indies”

• slaves and sugar--Brazil

Why did they come? Spain

• trade route and resources

• encounter with the indigenous people

• different value systems

• encomienda system

• Cortes (1524) and divide and conquer

• Bartolomé de las Casas

Why did they come? England

• prolific in the NE of North America

• pause: Reformation

• resume: industrial revolution!

• competition with Spain and France

• religious fundamentalists

Why did they come? France

• busy in the 15th c. with religious wars

• vampire effect

• compete with Spain and England

• highest amount of toleration

Consequences of Euro Contact

• Initial impressions

• Americas estimated population total before Euro contact = 20 to 40,000,000

• 90% of the population perishes from disease, warfare and suicide

• New ethnic groups: mestizos and zambos

• shift in land usage

Colombian Exchange

• From Europe to the Americas

Colombian Exchange

• From the Americas to Europe syphilis*